squash

verb

ˈskwäsh How to pronounce squash (audio)
Definition of squashnext
1
as in to mash
to cause to become a pulpy mass the sort of person who couldn't even squash a bug

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to quell
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force squashed any effort to reform the country's power structure

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of squash And Jason Momoa, who recently starred in the game-to-movie blockbuster A Minecraft Movie, appeared to be the best guy to put behind the sci-fi series’ big, bug-squashing hand cannons. — Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026 Shred squash and fold into zucchini bread batter, feature fresh kernels in cornbread, or use mashed bananas, applesauce, or pumpkin to replace half of the butter in baked goods. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2026 The scant few remaining Arm compatibility concerns revolve around old printers and proprietary apps, but these have been all but squashed for the average user. — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026 In one montage played for laughs, an emperor is squashed by a panda and a king is beheaded, although there is no blood or guts to speak of. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for squash
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squash
  1. mash
  2. quell
  3. crush
  4. suppress
  5. pulp
  6. subdue
  7. squeeze
  8. quash
Verb
  • The Guardians went into that game last in the league in homers — and then mashed six off a guy who had just made the All-Star team the week before?
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • Begin by mashing the garlic and a bit of salt with the flat side of a chef’s knife, then work in the basil in handfuls until finely chopped.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 25 July 2026
Definition of mash
Verb
  • Reading it immediately quells, or at least quelled my own, paranoia at being alone in the middle of the forest—nobody is getting got here, there’s a gate that only opens if the concierge approves of your face, voice, and name.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
  • There have been several protests by refugees living in Nepal where police have been used to quell them.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of quell
Verb
  • Despite being only eight-tenths of a mile from the bomb's epicenter, Kakita was crushed but protected by the bathhouse.
    — Rina Nakano, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • New data from Ladders challenges the belief that six-figure salaries demand crushing stress.
    — Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of crush
Verb
  • Some studies show that saffron may potentially help suppress appetite and aid in weight loss, reduce the symptoms of PMS and improve libido.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • And the nastiest errors of all, the bit-flips, are suppressed to around one in a million operations.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of suppress
Verb
  • Mathieu Lewis-Rolland / Getty Images The tank was designed to hold 900,000 gallons of a hazardous chemical known as white liquor, a chemical brew that contains sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfide and disodium carbonate and is used in the paper-pulping process, officials have said.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 31 May 2026
  • The proprietary alkaline pulping method used to produce its lyocell is cleaner and more efficient than traditional chemical approaches, lowering the environmental footprint from the start while improving production efficiency.
    — SJ Studio, Sourcing Journal, 29 Dec. 2025
Definition of pulp
Verb
  • Energy supply disruptions remain a key market concern, with tanker traffic through the strait still subdued, said Lloyd Chan, senior currency analyst at MUFG Bank in Singapore, noting that Brent prices remain way above above pre-conflict levels.
    — Chloe Taylor,Anniek Bao, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Across the Atlantic Ocean, forecasters say intense heat in western and central Europe could create ideal wildfire conditions just as firefighters appeared to subdue a raging fire in southern France and Spain.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of subdue
Verb
  • Cheap electric cars dominate one end of the market, Tesla occupies the premium end, and the middle is getting squeezed.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Washington is trying to choke Iran's ability to get its crude out while Tehran is squeezing the artery through which everybody else's crude gets through.
    — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • The Supreme Court in recent years has handed down rulings in both campaign finance law cases and donor disclosure law cases, quashing restrictions as violations of the First Amendment.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 10 Aug. 2026
  • To try to quash the backlash, Inviz shared two statements in November and December 2025.
    — Kyle MacNeill, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of quash

Browse Nearby Words

squarish
squash
squashed
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Cite this Entry

“Squash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squash. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on squash

Nglish: Translation of squash for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about squash

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